Dewi Lake says players’ minds will be on beating Japan and nothing else
Tangible positives have been few and far between for Welsh rugby in the last couple of years.
A 17-Test losing run ended up costing Warren Gatland his job, while off-field issues continue to dominate. By the time Wales return from Japan in a couple of weeks, there could well be movement on the number of professional teams in Wales.
Like the near-two-year stretch without an international victory, the politics in Welsh rugby can be painfully all-consuming; a miserable cloak that envelops the game.
Yet, for one of the few positives Welsh rugby has uncovered in recent years, that uncertainty is far from the focus.
Dewi Lake has long been tipped for a bright future in the Test game. Were it not for injury, the Ospreys hooker would have double the caps and perhaps even be touring Australia this summer rather than Japan. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“It’s tough,” says Lake philosophically about his injuries. “Things happen for a reason I guess.”
At the World Cup two years ago, Lake and fellow Osprey Jac Morgan captured the imagination as youthful co-captains in France.
A year ago, in Australia, Lake again led with aplomb. One of the main positives from that tour was how Lake carried himself as Wales’ creeped towards double figures.
While Gatland searched for external factors, like referees, for the defeats, Lake wouldn’t have dreamed of offering up an excuse Down Under.
A year on, with Welsh rugby a year unhealthier, it’s more of the same from the young captain.
Even with his club’s future up in the air, there’s just one thing on Lake’s mind: ending the losing run that has tormented Wales for nearly two years.
“We’ve got a job to do,” says Lake. “If we’re thinking about all that which is going on, we’re not 100 per cent focused on the rugby.
“And we’ve got to be 100 per cent focused on the rugby. So we’re heads down and thinking about Japan.”
Even the search for a new head coach, still ongoing four months after Gatland’s mid-Six Nations departure, doesn’t concern Lake.
“Not for us as players,” he says. “We know the job we’ve got to do with the task at hand.
“That’s not to think about what’s down the line. If we go out there and don’t do a job, we might not be here for the next round of coaches. There’s no point in worrying or dwelling on that.
“It’s not our decision to make. We’ve got no say in the matter.
“We can just focus on the rugby and the task at hand, which is to win a Test match. That’s what we’ve all been speaking about.”
Even without a permanent appointment, Wales head to Japan with some icons in their coaching ticket.
Tighthead legend Adam Jones once again returns after helping the scrum in the Six Nations, while another legendary prop, Gethin Jenkins, is back in the national team set-up.
Former full-back Leigh Halfpenny is also involved for the first time.
“They can take their boots with them if they want!” jokes Lake. “I played with Leigh and his leadership out in the World Cup was unbelievable, especially for me as a young captain doing it for the first time.
“Being able to have him by my side was class. Having him here again is amazing.
“We all know what kind of player he was. His expertise has always been kicking, so to have him in on that front is massive.
“The same with Adam and Gethin in their respective fields. The scrum in the Six Nations went very well.
“Bomb’s brought that same energy to this campaign. We’re excited for that prospect.
“And Gethin coming in to do defence, he’s done well at Cardiff this season. Their defensive policies have been strong.
“It’s been a bit different for a few of us at different clubs, but we’re all melding on that now and we’re very excited of the prospect of those three.”
Again, there’s just one thing in the agenda for Lake.
“It’s pointless looking ahead,” he adds. “We know what we’ve got to do in the summer. It’s going to be a tough test. All focus is on the here and now, really. We’ve got to do that in Japan.
“We’re by no means underestimating the edge they’re going to bring. They’re a dangerous side and they’ve caused a lot of upsets in very recent memory.
“They’re 13th for a reason and we’re 12th for a reason so it’s going to be a big battle once we get out there. They’re playing on home soil so I’m sure they’ll take a lot of confidence in that.”
He adds: “We know the style of rugby they like to play. We know they play with very quick ball.
“I think they’re fourth in the top 12 for attacking speed of ball. That’s no poor stat, to be fourth in the top 12.
“We know it’s our job to slow it down. They’ll want to play with speed. That’ll stress our defence, but that’s our job to slow it down, put a stop to them and make sure we can be the dominant team out there.
“On the defensive front, if you’re winning collisions defensively, it’s tough to get speed of ball. If we can do a job at source and up front, if their lineout delivery isn’t as smooth or the scrum takes a bit longer, anything we can do to slow their game down and play the games on our terms, we’re going to attempt to do that.
“Dominance is a big part of that. But we understand what they’re going to bring.”
“This group has a job to do on the back of a big losing run. We’ve got to go out there and set things right.”
